If you need to wear a helmet or other headgear, this will also affect your choice. Features such as Bluetooth and active listening can improve both your efficiency and your enjoyment at work.
Determining Your Noise Level
To get the best protection, you need to determine the noise levels you are exposed to. For some machines and power tools, dB levels can be found in the user manual or stated on a label on the machine. For example, if you use a chainsaw with the level 105 dB (A), the recommended level under the earcup should be around 75 dB (A). That means you need a hearing protector with an attenuation of around SNR 30 dB.
Hearing Protector Styles
Hellberg offers hearing protectors in four different styles. Standard headband protectors are our most popular choice. If you need to combine your hearing protector with a helmet, choose the helmet-mounted style. Don’t forget to ensure that the helmet you choose is approved in combination with the selected hearing protector.
For those of you who value flexibility, neckbands or foldable protectors could be the right choice. Protectors with a neck band can be worn with bump caps, sun protection hats or helmets without attachment slots.
Electronic Features
Sometimes, all you need is passive hearing protectors. However, if you need to use hearing protection for long periods of time, features such as Bluetooth and AM/FM radio will make your working days a great deal more comfortable, efficient and fun.
Some environments place greater demands on your protection. If it is important to hear warning signals or be able to communicate with others in noisy environments, we highly recommend choosing an electronic hearing protector with the active listening feature, and, depending on your needs, two-way communication. Level dependent active listening protectors allow situational awareness while protectning against impulsive or intermittent hazardous noise. A noise cancelling speech microphone is also very useful in these circumstances.
How to Select Your Protection Level
To keep you and your hearing as safe as possible, you need to choose a protection level that is neither too high nor too low. These check lists will help you make your choice: